This election year has been like no other in my memory. I'm not here to offend, or argue, or even to tell you who to vote for. That is between you and God. I am here to say something that has been on my mind regarding Christians' views of the issues and candidates.
I have heard of so many people who say they cannot vote for Donald Trump because he is "evil", "racist", "immoral", and the list goes on. There are many, many things in Trump's past that I think are horrible. He has done and said some truly terrible things.
However, recently in an article on yahoo.com, Ben Carson said that Trump prayed and they talked about it - that Trump had asked for forgiveness and was coming, "ever closer to the Lord". https://www.yahoo.com/news/ben-carson-says-donald-trump-prayed-for-forgiveness-before-the-presidential-debate-043443555.html Now, I know what he has done is wrong. So does God. But his sin was against God - not me. And if God can forgive him, who am I to hold his past against him?
There was a woman in the Bible caught in the very act of adultery. Not adultery she had committed 10 years ago- in the very ACT. They brought her to Jesus to see how he would react. Jesus' response was, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." (John 8:7) And to the woman he said, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." (John 8:11).
Jesus didn't tell her that she had been so wicked that He didn't think she would be good for anything in the future. He didn't tell her she was so offensive He had no use for her. Just to "go, and sin no more."
I don't know Donald Trump's heart. I do know that while he has been on the campaign trail as a politician, and not a Hollywood reality star, he has said he will appoint conservative justices to the Supreme Court, he has said he will abolish the Johnson Amendment so religious leaders can speak their mind and have a voice in society without fear of having their tax-free status taken away, that he wants to retain Christian Liberty for Americans and have us go back to saying, "Merry Christmas", that he wants to stand with Israel as our ally. These things are important to me this election.
I am not Donald Trump's judge. I pray he is or becomes a Christian. His past is tainted. All our pasts are. I'm sure we'd all agree we've done and said things we regret, and are mighty glad some of those things haven't been leaked out for all of the world to hear.
If you feel Donald Trump has bad policies, or is too inexperienced or ignorant of politics to become President, that is your right. But I ask you to please consider voting based on policy and how he has spoken to and about Americans since deciding to try to become their champion instead of what he has done and said in his past.
God is, after all, a God of second chances.
